5 hikers found dead in Canadian mountains after fall

LIONS BAY, British Columbia (AP) — Authorities in British Columbia say the bodies of five hikers have been found after they fell more than 1,600 feet (500 meters) to their death in the mountains north of Vancouver.

Search manager Martin Colwell says the hikers were crossing an unstable ledge of snow when they fell. Four bodies were found at the bottom of Mount Harvey on Sunday afternoon. A fifth body was discovered hours later.

Colwell says search and rescue efforts were launched Saturday after a sixth hiker with the group who had fallen behind found the others missing when he arrived at the summit. Colwell says that hiker found another person walking up the trail who alerted police.

All five victims were part of a regular hiking group from the Vancouver area.